Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WARM, adj., v. Also waarm, warum, wairm (Lth. 1799 J. Adams Pronunc. Eng. Lang. 152; Sc. 1927 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 31). [wɑrm; werm]

I. adj. As in Eng. Sc. comb.: warm-wise, of weather, rather sultry.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 201:
Man, it's awfu' kin' o' meigh an' warm-wise.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 95:
The first dairk
wis dairk o storm.
We had forekent it
by the heat - mair than waarm,
yon smoorin wye.Slg. 1990 Janet Paisley in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 120:
Ah wantit tae sey 'She's no fur you, she's a cauld stick an she'll bring ye nuthing an ye'll nivir be fu an gled an warum in yer bed till ye're deid.'

II. v. 1. To beat, thrash, hit. Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial. Phr. to warm the wax in your ears, to box one's ears (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).Sc. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth xxix.:
Old Dorothy, whose hand has warmed my haffits before now.Gall. 1899 Crockett Kit Kennedy xi.:
Suck in with the Maister! — We'll warm ye when we get ye oot.

2. Only in deriv. warmer, of persons: an extreme example of his kind, an outstanding or formidable character, “a right one”, “a terrible fellow”, used either in admiration or disapproval (Gsw. 1937 Partridge Dict. Slang; m., s.Sc. 1973; Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xiii., xvii.:
“Gosh, Mr. Gibson,” he cried, “you're a warmer! Ye deserve your name [Cunning Johnny].” . . . I can tell you he's a warmer! I never saw a man eat so much in all my born days.Kcb. 1911 Crockett Rose of Wilderness xxiii.:
He's a fearsome callant, yon — I'm guessin, that the faither o' him maun hae been ‘a warmer'!s.Sc. 1933 Border Mag. (March) 37:
“He's a warmer,” said Scaur, shaking his head.Gsw. 1972 Molly Weir Best Foot Forward (1974) 86:
He told my mother I was a 'wee warmer', but he decided I had learnt enough and he couldn't conscientiously take my mother's hard-earned sixpence any longer when I knew how to run up a few scales and pick out carefully the tune of 'The Bluebells of Scotland'. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 74:
warmer A term for someone who exasperates or disgusts you: 'They've been sittin daein nuthin aw day whit a perr a warmers!'